Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study

Background. Structural integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) is important for upper limb motor recovery after stroke. However, additional neuromechanisms associated with motor function poststroke are less well understood, especially regarding the lower limb. Objective. To investiga...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Denise M. Peters, Julius Fridriksson, Jessica D. Richardson, Jill C. Stewart, Chris Rorden, Leonardo Bonilha, Addie Middleton, Stacy L. Fritz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Behavioural Neurology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/3010555
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850171706180632576
author Denise M. Peters
Julius Fridriksson
Jessica D. Richardson
Jill C. Stewart
Chris Rorden
Leonardo Bonilha
Addie Middleton
Stacy L. Fritz
author_facet Denise M. Peters
Julius Fridriksson
Jessica D. Richardson
Jill C. Stewart
Chris Rorden
Leonardo Bonilha
Addie Middleton
Stacy L. Fritz
author_sort Denise M. Peters
collection DOAJ
description Background. Structural integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) is important for upper limb motor recovery after stroke. However, additional neuromechanisms associated with motor function poststroke are less well understood, especially regarding the lower limb. Objective. To investigate the neural basis of upper/lower limb motor deficits poststroke by correlating measures of motor function with diffusion tensor imaging-derived indices of white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD)) in primary and secondary motor tracts/structures. Methods. Forty-three individuals with chronic stroke (time poststroke, 64.4±58.8 months) underwent a comprehensive motor assessment and MRI scanning. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine relationships between FA/MD in a priori motor tracts/structures and motor function. Results. FA in the ipsilesional CST and red nucleus (RN) was positively correlated with motor function of both the affected upper and lower limb (r=0.36‐0.55, p≤0.01), while only ipsilesional RN FA was associated with gait speed (r=0.50). Ipsilesional CST FA explained 37.3% of the variance in grip strength (p<0.001) and 31.5% of the variance in Arm Motricity Index (p=0.004). Measures of MD were not predictors of motor performance. Conclusions. Microstructural integrity of the ipsilesional CST is associated with both upper and lower limb motor function poststroke, but appears less important for gait speed. Integrity of the ipsilesional RN was also associated with motor performance, suggesting increased contributions from secondary motor areas may play a role in supporting chronic motor function and could become a target for interventions.
format Article
id doaj-art-ab87d40af65c4db98baf4d0ba3cb7d96
institution OA Journals
issn 1875-8584
language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Behavioural Neurology
spelling doaj-art-ab87d40af65c4db98baf4d0ba3cb7d962025-08-20T02:20:13ZengWileyBehavioural Neurology1875-85842021-01-01202110.1155/2021/3010555Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI StudyDenise M. Peters0Julius Fridriksson1Jessica D. Richardson2Jill C. Stewart3Chris Rorden4Leonardo Bonilha5Addie Middleton6Stacy L. Fritz7Department of Rehabilitation and Movement ScienceDepartment of Communication Sciences and DisordersDepartment of Speech and Hearing SciencesDepartment of Exercise ScienceDepartment of PsychologyDepartment of NeurologyNew England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical CenterDepartment of Exercise ScienceBackground. Structural integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) is important for upper limb motor recovery after stroke. However, additional neuromechanisms associated with motor function poststroke are less well understood, especially regarding the lower limb. Objective. To investigate the neural basis of upper/lower limb motor deficits poststroke by correlating measures of motor function with diffusion tensor imaging-derived indices of white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD)) in primary and secondary motor tracts/structures. Methods. Forty-three individuals with chronic stroke (time poststroke, 64.4±58.8 months) underwent a comprehensive motor assessment and MRI scanning. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine relationships between FA/MD in a priori motor tracts/structures and motor function. Results. FA in the ipsilesional CST and red nucleus (RN) was positively correlated with motor function of both the affected upper and lower limb (r=0.36‐0.55, p≤0.01), while only ipsilesional RN FA was associated with gait speed (r=0.50). Ipsilesional CST FA explained 37.3% of the variance in grip strength (p<0.001) and 31.5% of the variance in Arm Motricity Index (p=0.004). Measures of MD were not predictors of motor performance. Conclusions. Microstructural integrity of the ipsilesional CST is associated with both upper and lower limb motor function poststroke, but appears less important for gait speed. Integrity of the ipsilesional RN was also associated with motor performance, suggesting increased contributions from secondary motor areas may play a role in supporting chronic motor function and could become a target for interventions.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/3010555
spellingShingle Denise M. Peters
Julius Fridriksson
Jessica D. Richardson
Jill C. Stewart
Chris Rorden
Leonardo Bonilha
Addie Middleton
Stacy L. Fritz
Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study
Behavioural Neurology
title Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study
title_full Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study
title_fullStr Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study
title_full_unstemmed Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study
title_short Upper and Lower Limb Motor Function Correlates with Ipsilesional Corticospinal Tract and Red Nucleus Structural Integrity in Chronic Stroke: A Cross-Sectional, ROI-Based MRI Study
title_sort upper and lower limb motor function correlates with ipsilesional corticospinal tract and red nucleus structural integrity in chronic stroke a cross sectional roi based mri study
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/3010555
work_keys_str_mv AT denisempeters upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT juliusfridriksson upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT jessicadrichardson upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT jillcstewart upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT chrisrorden upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT leonardobonilha upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT addiemiddleton upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy
AT stacylfritz upperandlowerlimbmotorfunctioncorrelateswithipsilesionalcorticospinaltractandrednucleusstructuralintegrityinchronicstrokeacrosssectionalroibasedmristudy